


Once the Clouds Settle

by WinterAndLittleBrunettes



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6540772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterAndLittleBrunettes/pseuds/WinterAndLittleBrunettes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link returns to the surface after defeating Demise on his created battlefield, surrounded by friends and saying goodbyes. But once things have settled down, Link finally has a chance to speak with Zelda (who now has memories of her time as Hylia).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once the Clouds Settle

_Battling Demise was even harder than I thought it would have been._

_Fi had warned me of the odds; my likelihood of survival, the fate of those I cared about if I failed, what would happen to the surface... There was a lot riding on my shoulders. But I knew what had to be done, so I met him up on the battlefield. And either by sheer luck, or the will of the Goddesses, I survived._

_I mean, he cursed us in every meaning of the word... But that doesn't affect me, or Zelda, any longer. Maybe it would in future lives, but we defeated him in this life, so what's to say we couldn't in another?_

_We were on the surface, standing on top of the Goddess Statue, overlooking the Sacred Grounds. So much has changed since I first came here. Skyloft is smaller, for one thing, now that this piece of the surface is back where it belongs. And the old lady, who I later found out was Impa, is gone. The barrier between Skyloft and the surface is gone, meaning I don't have to travel by Zelda's sail cloth any longer. Not that it was a bad way to go, but... Loftwing is safer._

I peer over at Zelda, who is standing beside me looking towards the temple. _She looked so pure in the morning light, her white dress making her nearly glow. She looked so wistful that I felt bad for her. She has had such a hard journey since falling down to the surface, learning so much about her past life as the goddess Hylia..._

All of a sudden she turned to me, looking hopeful. "Look around us! As a child, I always dreamed of a world below. I wanted to see the surface with my own eyes and feel the land's warm breeze on my skin. I... I think I want to live here. I always want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head, and watch over the Triforce." she took a small step closer to me, searching my face. "What about you, Link? What will you do now?"

I peered over to the temple, as if it could give me the answers. _What would I do now? I hadn't thought that far ahead, what would happen after I beat Demise. There was always one more challenge ahead of me, one more span of land I had to cross before reaching Zelda..._

 _Well, there was my answer._ "I'll be wherever you are, Zelda. If you want to stay here, I'll stay here with you. I crossed these forests, climbed a mountain and walked across a desert to find you, so you're not going to lose me so easily." I turned to face her.

But when I finally met her gaze, she was crying. I hurriedly wrapped my arms around her, unsure of what was wrong.

"I never thought you would stay, Link. After all I put you through? After I _used_ you?" she hiccuped, wrapping her arms tightly around me. "What have I done to deserve you?"

"You're my Zelda. You're my best friend, and I would do anything for you. Even if you use me, or hurt me, or leave me while trying to find yourself again." I gently brushed a kiss to the side of her head, trying to convey what I really meant. "I will always be here for you, because there is no other place I'd rather be."

Zelda broke down, fully crying now. "You... Really are the Hero, Link." she murmured out between sobs. "I don't deserve your love, but Goddesses, I'm selfish."

I pulled back a bit to look at her. _Selfish?_ "You sacrificed who you were to give the world a chance against Demise, Zelda. What makes you selfish?"

She looked up at me, finally, her eyes puffy from her tears. "Because I need you, Link. I should be letting you go after everything you've done for me, but I can't bear to see you go. It would tear me apart..." her eyes flashed down again, refusing to meet my gaze.

_...I have to know._

I gently removed my hand from her side to under her chin. I slowly lifted her head so she would look at me again, so I could give her a full indication of what I was doing.

I dropped my head closer to hers, slowly, so she could back out if she wanted to. She didn't move.

When my lips met hers, I thought my entire world was exploding. Her lips felt like velvet as they moved against mine, and I thought I saw a kaleidoscope behind my eyelids. When we parted, I slowly opened my eyes and smiled. _I definitely wasn't leaving her side now._

"Oh." she whispered, slowly reaching up to touch her lips, as if she couldn't believe what just happened. "So it's not just me."

I couldn't hold back the laugh that bubbled up. She soon joined in, and I leaned down to kiss her again.

"I never want to leave your side again, you hear me Zelda?" I mumbled. "It would probably kill me to be parted from you."

She just smiled "That's fine by me, my Hero."

 

_~Fin_


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